Urban Explorers - Abandoned Properties
Been watching some good Urbexers (that's Urban Explorers for those of you who are not young and hip like what I am) on YouTube lately. I watch for the intriguing back stories, the history, the beautiful houses, to see the material remnants of what were once vibrant, active lives of people long gone. Some of the homes were once murder scenes. Others bear evidence, even now, of the poor souls who died in them, alone, only to be found much, much later. So sad.
It always makes me wonder why family don't come forward to claim property, documents, photos, mementos and so on. Breaks my heart to see these things left to rot and fall apart. Some of the buildings are furnished with such great quality, expensive, truly beautiful items of heavy furniture I can't help thinking it would be better to let people just take it, rather than leave it to go moudly and eventually to collapse. Such a waste. Though I also understand the need for respect. The idiots who go in just to trash the place and break things, spray painting walls and smashing windows, are no better than the four-legged vermin who live there now, in my view.
Of course, there are a whole host of reasons why family might not want anything to do with the deceased's former home. Some interesting stories right there, I bet. My daughter in law Rebecca Oldham just happens to watch the same Urbexer as me. She was telling me of a local property which is often explored by people. I did not even know it existed! Only down the road from me. It was once a mental asylum. Such sad places, as I have said here before.
If I was in better shape, to climb over things, up dodgy stairs and so on, and if I could still run away from the angry individual who seems to be a self-appointed guardian of the place and regularly chases people away (with a gun once, allegedly,) I would go for a look myself! Have any of you ever done anything like this? Investigated abandoned mansions, hospitals, schools? Anyone want to do it but haven't taken the plunge yet? I would love to know!
Image credit: Jamison Riley for Squarespace.
